‘Abdallah b. Arqam said he heard God’s Messenger say, “When the time for prayer comes and one of you needs to relieve himself, he should do that first.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Malik, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

Thauban reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There are three things which are unlawful for anyone to do. A man must not act as imam for others in prayer and make a supplication for himself excluding them, for if he does that he has acted treacherously towards them. No one must look inside a house before asking permission to enter, for if he does so he has acted treacherously towards . And no one should pray while retaining urine, but should first relieve himself.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi has something similar.

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Do not postpone prayer because of food or any other reason.” transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said: I have seen the time when no one stayed away from prayer except a hypocrite whose hypocrisy was well known, or a sick man, but if a sick man could walk with one on each side of him he would come to prayer. He also said: God’s Messenger taught us the paths of right guidance, among which is prayer in the mosque in which the adhan is called. In a version he said: If anyone would like to meet God tomorrow as a Muslim he should persevere in observing these five times of prayer where the announcement for them is made, for God has laid down for your Prophet the paths of right guidance, among which are the prayers. If you were to pray in your houses as this man who stays away prays in his house, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the practice of your Prophet you would go astray. No man purifies himself, doing it well, then makes for one of these mosques, without God recording a blessing for him for every step he takes, raising him a degree for it and removing a sin from him for it. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it except a hypocrite who was well known as such, whereas a man would be brought swaying* between two men till he was set up in the row.” * Because he was too weak to walk alone. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “Were it not for the women and children who are in the houses I would make the evening prayer congregational and command my young men to burn what is in the houses with fire.” Ahmad transmitted it.

He said that God’s Messenger gave them this command, “When you are in the mosque and the call to prayer is made, none of you must go out before he prays.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Abush Sha'tha’ said that a man went out of the mosque after the adhan had been called in it, and Abu Huraira said, “This man has disobeyed Abul Qasim.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Uthman b. ‘Affan reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If the adhan is called when anyone is in the mosque and he goes out for any other reason than some necessary purpose, not intending to return, he is a hypocrite.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn'Abbas reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “If anyone hears the summons and does not respond to it, he is not credited with having prayed unless he has some excuse.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Umm Maktum said, “Messenger of God, there are many venomous creatures and wild beasts in Medina, and I am blind, so are you able to grant me any licence?” He asked whether he could hear the call, “Come to prayer. Come to salvation,” and when he replied that he could, he said, “Then you must come,” and he gave him no indulgence. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Umm ad-Darda’ said that on one occasion Abud Darda’ was angry when he came in, and on her asking what had made him angry, he replied, “I swear by God that the only good thing I know about Muhammad’s people is that they pray in congregation.”* * The suggestion is that they have become so corrupt that this is the only respect in which they obey the Prophet’s commands. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Bakr b. Sulaiman b. Abu Hathma said that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab missed Sulaiman b. Abu Hathma at the Morning Prayer. In the morning ‘Umar went to the market, and Sulaiman’s house being between the mosque and the market, he met ash-Shifa’, Sulaiman’s mother, and said to her, “I did not see Sulaiman at the morning prayer.” She replied, “He spent the night in prayer and was overpowered by sleep.” Thereupon ‘Umar said, “I would rather be present with a company at the Morning Prayer than spend a night in prayer.” Malik transmitted it.

Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Two and over constitute a congregation.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Bilal b. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar on his father’s authority reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Do not prevent the women from their shares in the mosques when they ask your permission.” Bilal said, “I swear by God I will certainly prevent them.” ‘Abdallah replied, “I tell you that God’s Messenger said it, yet you say you will certainly prevent them!” In a version by Salim,* his father is reported as saying: ‘Abdallah confronted him, and reviling him in terms the like of which I have never heard at any other time, he said, “I give you information on the authority of God’s Messenger, yet you say, ‘I swear by God I will certainly prevent them’!” * He is Salim b. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar b. al-Khattab. Muslim transmitted it.

Mujahid, on the authority of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar, reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “No man must prevent his family from coming to the mosques.” A son of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar said, “I will certainly prevent them,” whereupon ‘Abdallah said, “I tell you something from God’s Messenger, and you say this!” He said that ‘Abdallah did not speak to him during the remainder of his life. Ahmad transmitted it.

An-Nu‘man b. Bashir said: God’s Messenger used to straighten our rows as if he were trying to make them as straight as arrows until he saw that we had learned it from him. One day he came out, stood up, and was just about to say God is most great ’ when he saw a man whose chest projected from the row, so he said, “Servants of God, you must straighten your rows, or God will certainly put your faces in contrary directions."* * The use of “faces” here may mean the people themselves and their inner nature. The tradition may refer to civil strife, which is possibly the meaning of the tradition below from Abu Mas'ud. Muslim transmitted it.

Anas said: The iqama* had been uttered and God’s Messenger faced us and said, “Make your rows straight and stand close together, for l can see you behind my back.” * A repetition of the words of the call to prayer after the worshippers have taken their places with the addition of a statement that the time of prayer has come. Bukhari transmitted it. In the version given by Bukhari and Muslim he said, “Make the rows perfect, for I can see you behind my back."

Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari said: God’s Messenger used to touch our shoulders at the prayer and say, “Keep straight; do not be irregular and so have your hearts irregular. Let those of you who are sedate and prudent be near me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them." Abu Mas'ud said, “Nowadays you are much more irregular." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri told that when God’s Messenger saw a tendency among his companions to go to the back he said to them, “Come forward and follow my lead, and let those who come after you follow your lead. People will continue to keep to the back till God will put them at the back.”* * This has been explained as referring to their being denied God’s grace, or their lacking rank or knowledge. But cf. the tradition from 'A’isha at the end of Section III. Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura said: God’s Messenger came out to us and when he saw us sitting in circles he said, “How is it that I see you in separate companies?” On another occasion he came out to us and said, “Why do you not draw yourselves up in rows as the angels do in the presence of their Lord?” We asked, "Messenger of God, how do the angels draw themselves up in rows in the presence of their Lord?” He replied, "They make the first rows complete and keep close together in the row.” Muslim transmitted it.